Court rules Trump broke US law when he fired Democratic FTC commissioner

In a significant legal ruling, a federal judge determined that President Trump acted against U.S. law when he dismissed Democrat Rebecca Kelly Slaughter from her role at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Judge Loren AliKhan, in her memorandum opinion issued by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, stated, "The law regarding the removal of FTC Commissioners is unequivocal. Therefore, the court grants Ms. Slaughter's motion for summary judgment and denies the Defendants' cross-motion for summary judgment." The ruling comes as Trump plans to appeal the decision to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, having requested the District Court to stay its order during the appeal process. This legal battle could escalate to the Supreme Court, as the Trump administration seeks to challenge a 1935 legal precedent that Judge AliKhan referenced in her judgment favoring Slaughter. In her opinion, AliKhan acknowledged the potential long-term implications of the case, remarking, "This court has no illusions about where this case's journey leads. However, for now, the Defendants' attempt to remove Ms. Slaughter did not adhere to the removal protections established by the FTC Act. These protections have been constitutional for nearly a century, rendering her attempted removal unlawful and ineffective." Furthermore, the court clarified that while it cannot directly enjoin the President, it will issue a declaratory judgment confirming that the President's action against Ms. Slaughter was invalid, affirming her status as a rightful FTC Commissioner. An additional order specified that FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson and other officials are prohibited from interfering with Slaughter’s ability to fulfill her lawful duties until her term expires or unless she is lawfully removed for specific causes such as inefficiency or misconduct in office.